Jacksonville Criminal Defense Attorney Blog
State and local police say they’ll be out in full force on a well-travelled Clay County highway after a string of serious accidents in recent weeks. Patrol officers and others are out along the highway, checking speeds and watching for drivers who run red lights in the area, according to a report on News4Jax.com. While nothing has been reported yet in the local news media, expect a news release in the upcoming weeks about the number of violations and tickets issued in the area due to the increased patrols.
Police can’t be everywhere and by no means can they prevent every traffic accident that may occur. But the presence of police officers will undoubtedly make drivers slow down. How many times have you seen a string of brake lights on the highway, only to see a highway patrol officer in the median a few hundred yards up? If drivers do not feel there are consequences for exceeding the speed limit, they likely will. And while Clay County Traffic Violations are far less serious than misdemeanor and felony crimes, they can have a major financial impact on drivers. On top of the financial considerations, drivers can also lose their license if they continue to get caught speeding or of other moving violations. In Florida, traffic tickets are scored on a point system. When those points accumulate, they can have serious consequences for drivers.
While speeding tickets have varying point levels based on how much the driver exceeds the speed limit, many other common violations are worth 3 points. Reckless driving carries a 4-point penalty and a person caught leaving the scene of an accident faces 6 points. When the points add up they can lead to:
– A 30-day license suspension for 12 points in one year
– A 3-month suspension for 18 points in 18 months
– A 1-year suspension for 24 point in a 3-year period
If a driver simply pays his or her fine on the ticket, he or she is admitting guilt and accepting the points that come with the violation. Those points are on your driving record and will also likely cause car insurance rates to rise. In some Clay County Traffic Cases, an attorney can appear on your behalf in an effort to get the fine or points reduced.
Our Clay County Traffic Attorney has represented hundreds of drivers on traffic cases and can help you make a decision on whether the ticket is worth fighting – based on the circumstances, including your past driving record.
If you or a loved one needs a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville or the surrounding area, call The Mussallem Law Firm at (904) 365-5200 for a FREE CONSULTATION. Our Clay County Traffic Attorney, Victoria “Tori” Mussallem, is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.